Beauchemin left Anaheim as a free agent in 2015 to sign a three-year, $13.5-million contract with Colorado. He played in 163 of 164 possible regular-season games for the Avs, serving as alternate captain last season.

Colorado has just three veteran defensemen under contract, and Nikita Zadorov is threatening to play in the Kontinental Hockey League if the restricted free agent can’t come to terms with the Avs. Last week, Colorado general manager Joe Sakic said he intends on giving three rookies — Andrei Mironov, Chris Bigras and Anton Lindholm — every opportunity to make the team out of training camp. He also noted the Avs, by virtue of finishing last in the 30-team NHL, have first dibs on the waiver wire until Nov. 1, and the team will “probably” add players that way.

Footnotes. The Avalanche’s American Hockey League affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, signed former University of Denver goalie Sam Brittain on Monday. Brittain, 25, played for the Rampage in 2014-15 when the team was the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, who drafted Brittain 92nd overall in 2010. Brittain will compete for playing time with Spencer Martin, 22, and Joe Cannata, 27. … The Avs are scheduled to announce their training camp schedule this week. Rookie camp is likely to begin Sept. 7 and the veterans will report around Sept. 14.

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EDMONTON, Alberta — In two games since returning from an eight-game injury absence, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has four points, including a goal, and multiple shots off the post or crossbar. The 22-year-old has undoubtedly re-proven that he is the Avs’ most valuable player — the player they must have in the lineup to make a legitimate playoff push.